1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved opening lock particularly for use in a sunshade or a parasol. The opening lock comprises a cover plate and a stop block and a bias spring and a fixing element that are received in a cavity defined on the shaft of the sunshade. The cover plate is used to confine the other elements in the cavity with the stop block passing through an opening on the cover plate. The stop block has a smoothly curved guide bottom at the front end thereof and is disposed in front of the bias spring which is then limited in place by the fixing element thereby the stop block can be retractably actuated by the runner slidably disposed on the shaft of the sunshade when the runner is pushed upward against and over the opening lock and support the runner in place so as to make the sunshade open; and the same can be closed by simply pressing the stop block down and pulling the runner downward.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional sunshade 1 is equipped with a solid shaft 14 on which a runner 12 is slidably secured, and a top cover 15 which is extendably connected to the runner 12 by way of a plurality of stretching ribs 11, and a locking pin 131 attached by a chain 13 to one of the stretching rib 11 which is removably engaged with a through hole 141 disposed near the top of the solid shaft so that the runner 12 can be supported in place and keep the sunshade opened. To close the sunshade, the operator has to detach the locking pin from the shaft and let the runner travel downward so as to make the top cover collapse.
There are a number of disadvantages associated with this type of prior art sunshade which are presented as below:
1. The locking pin attached to one of the stretching rib by way of a chain is easily lost because the opening of the looped elements of the chain is readily pulled wide open, resulting in the detachment of the lockign pin therefrom; and a substitute must be used to replace the locking pin.
2. The top cover of the conventional sunshade is usually in bulky size and very heavy, the opening of the same is relatively inconvenient and must be performed by 2 persons, therefore the location of the through hole and insertion of the locking pin must be carried out in a hurry, and this is particularly true when the sunshade is operated by a single person. Therefore, the operation becomes relatively inconvenient with the conventional structure.